BARNSLEY: Chris O’Grady’s new Reds link

Neil Goulding
Football

The Reds made an enquiry about O’Grady in June but were told he would command a high price tag.

O’Grady is now playing regularly for the Owls, but The Star understands Reds boss Keith Hill remains a big admirer of the former Rotherham United marksman, a player he managed at Rochdale and who blossomed under his successful leadership at Spotland between 2009 and 2011.

It’s no secret Hill is keen to bolster his firepower with eight-goal leading scorer Craig Davies sidelined with a hamstring injury which will see him miss the next few games.

“I’d like a target man, someone whose going to fit around the way we play,” Hill told The Star.

“We’ve made approaches for four or five players but nothing’s moving.

“I need a striker, I want more options up front. I didn’t really want to use the loan market, but I’m going to have to now with Craig being injured.”

O’Grady has scored five times for the Owls this season and has started eight of the 14 games he’s played for the Hillsborough club.

And it is likely that the Owls could be persuaded to sell the 26-year-old if the price is right, although a potential loan move is also being muted prior to the transfer window re-opening.

O’Grady was bought for £350,000 so the Owls would rightly expect to recoup all, if not a large percentage of the fee they paid for him from Dale.

“We made inquiries about Chris some time ago but nothing came of it,” said Reds director Don Rowing. “I know Keith wants a striker, but we’ve not made any new enquiry for Chris or made an official offer for him.”